by Sylvester Addo | Jun 28, 2017 | General, Microsoft, Microsoft Africa
6 companies from Africa have qualified to receive funding in Microsoft’s second Affordable Access Initiative grant fund project.
“My dream is to enable local entrepreneurs have low-cost connectivity solutions. So that those entrepreneurs can solve their own last-mile problems versus waiting for the largess of some other company.” — Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO
The Microsoft Affordable Access Initiative Grant Fund is a Microsoft initiative that supports innovative businesses to grow and scale. The fund assists companies working to bring internet access and new technologies, services and models to underserved markets. That’s companies with initiatives ranging from last mile access technologies, off-grid renewable energy solutions and alternative payment mechanisms. With innovations in finance, payments, healthcare, education and agriculture.
“The social enterprises we support have inspired us with practical, high-impact and scalable approaches to help close the digital divide.
It’s a privilege to see these solutions take shape, and play a role in helping local entrepreneurs spur job creation and economic growth.
We’re inspired by our grantees’ passion. To bring internet, energy access and economic benefits to parts of the world that need it most.
It’s our privilege to support the work of innovators helping to improve their communities.“ – Paul Garnett, Microsoft Affordable Access Initiatives Director
Microsoft Corporation renewed its Affordable Access Initiative grant fund for a second year. Here are the beneficiaries from Africa.
Recipients of the 2017 grant fund from Africa come from 5 African countries. This year’s recipients include Kukua Weather Services (Uganda), Solaris Offgrid (Tanzania), Standard Microgrid (Zambia), SunCulture (Kenya), VisionNet and WrightGrid (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Read more about their initiatives by clicking here.
The companies will receive funding and software to help power and develop their businesses. Microsoft BizSpark, Microsoft’s development and test software that includes Azure, Windows, Visual Studio, Office and SQL Server. The grant recipients will also join a growing ecosystem of other grantees and funders to further increase their impact.
Visit, read and learn how you can apply and benefit from this grant fund when the next applications open.
by Sylvester Addo | Jun 15, 2017 | General, Imagine Cup, Microsoft Africa
Two teams from Africa qualified for the 2017 Microsoft Imagine Cup World finals by submitting applications through the online finals.
Teams from Uganda and South Africa have qualified to participate in this years Microsoft Imagine Cup world finals. Team LabTECH Innovation from Uganda and BITSplease from South Africa landed 2 out of the 3 possible qualifying spots. With the 3rd spot won by a team from Spain. These teams will join the other qualifiers from the Middle East and Africa competition held in Lebanon.
There are two ways to qualify for the Microsoft Imagine Cup World Finals held each year. One way is to participate in the national competitions held by the Microsoft or recognized organization in your country. The other is to submit your project online. This option is usually for teams in countries without a Microsoft office or no scheduled competitions.
So this is how the teams from Uganda and South Africa made their qualification. These teams will have to like the others prepare to present their projects at the finals in Seattle July 27th. Any of the participating teams can walk away with over $200,000 in prizes.
About our 2017 Online Finals winners from Africa.
Team LabTECH Innovation from Uganda
Stephen Kalyesubula, Alvin Leonard and Fred Byakuyamba are team members of labTECH. They developed an integrated hardware and a mobile application for diagnosis and monitoring of maternal health.
LabTECH Innovations project is an integrated solution called UriSAF. It’s for effective diagnosis and monitoring of maternal health in low resource settings with their application and Uri scope device.
Check out Team labTech on Facebook and Twitter and read all about their project here.
Team BITSplease from South Africa
BITSplease is a team from the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. The members include Computer Science and Software Engineering students Jihyun Byun and Jacques Oosthuizen. They built a platform that helps users overcome multiple forms of addiction.
Alice is an online environment that helps its users overcome multiple forms of addiction. It allows for portability and easy communication between users and their counselors. So, no matter where in the world our users are, they can always receive the help they require.
Check out Team BITSplease and read all about project Alice here.
We wish all the teams representing Africa the best and hope they make it to the finals of the Imagine Cup 2017 competition and win. Teams E-Park (Morocco), BITSplease (South Africa) and labTECH Innovation (Uganda) have qualified for the world finals in Seattle to represent Africa.
by Sylvester Addo | May 11, 2017 | 4Afrika, Microsoft Africa
Are you looking for a way to kick start your career? Looking to build some work experience in a thriving environment?
The Interns4Afrika internship program offers talented young people a unique experience with a dynamic and agile technology organization on the African continent. Whether you’re aspiring for a future in sales, marketing or technology, this is your chance to kick-start your future. – 4Afrika
There are internship opportunities all across Africa from the initiative.
Do you live in Kenya, Ghana, Namibia, Mauritius, Rwanda, Nigeria, Tunisia, Tanzania, Togo, Cote D’Ivoire, Uganda? Get to be an IT Support Tech, Sales or Marketing intern.
With this offer you will work for 6 months with a Microsoft partner on real projects. You’ll collaborate and learn from your colleagues. Got more question to ask about the Interns4Afrika program, check out the FAQ’s
Kindly click on the link which will take you to the Microsoft 4Afrika skills page. Search for your country and type of internship you’ll prefer. Sign up and fill away.
For Ghana folks kindly visit our earlier post on internship options in Accra.
All the best to you as you apply. If you do get in, come back and share the experience with us?
